Hi Rachel
I have the Horizon too and I love it
To make your needle stop in the down position, press the button below the little pair of scissors. The one with 2 arrows, if you just press it once the needle will stop in the down position. You have to do it every time you turn you machine on, but I find that I do it automatically when I put my fabric under the presser foot, I press the button and it's good to go.
Oooops sorry, I didn't read your post right to the end, no I don't think there is a way of programming it to always be in the needle down position (not that I have found anyway) but I have gotten used to pressing the button, sorry I wasn't help
