Wiktionary
n. 1 A misstep; a stumble. 2 (context idiomatic English) An erroneous action or decision.
Wikipedia
False Step was a New Zealand Standardbred racehorse. He is notable in that he won three New Zealand Trotting Cup races, the richest harness race, and sometimes the richest horse race in New Zealand. False Step is one of two horses to win the NZ Trotting Cup three times, the other being Indianapolis.
False Step was also taken to the United States in 1960 by his trainer and reinsman Cecil Devine, who had driven him to victory three times in the New Zealand Cup. The horse scored success in the International Series at Yonkers Raceway, and also defeated the acknowledged American champion of the time, Adios Butler.
Usage examples of "false step".
One false step, one word spoken out of place and he would fall into utter blackness.
One false step and he might plunge through, into water cold enough to stop his heart.
And suddenly that father whom she had judged would look for his spectacles in her presence, fumbling near them and not seeing them, or would forget something that had just occurred, or take a false step with his failing legs and turn to see if anyone had noticed his feebleness, or, worst of all, at dinner when there were no visitors to excite him would suddenly fall asleep, letting his napkin drop and his shaking head sink over his plate.
Once more to risk that narrow ledge of a trail winding in miserable switchbacks over the face of the cliff, the thousand-foot drop that a single false step would bring, those ghastly overhangs that had forced him to crawl forward with his nose to the ground and barely half a foot's clearance above the back of his head - no.
One false step through the wrong archway, and a visitor was lost in a labyrinth of outdoor passageways surrounded by high walls.