A creature that doesn't possess at least 5 ranks in the skill Balance is considered flat-footed when balancing, but when exactly is the creature considered to be balancing? Is the creature balancing only during its own turn, or is the creature also balancing when it's in that precarious position and it's not the creature's turn?
For example, Abe—who possesses 0 ranks in the skill Balance—is walking a tightrope. Abe must make a Balance skill check to progress across the tightrope (DC 20). Abe fails the check by 4, so Abe can't move until his next turn but doesn't fall from the tightrope. After Abe's turn ends, is Abe considered balancing (therefore flat-footed) until Abe's next turn starts? Or is Abe only balancing (again, therefore flat-footed) on Abe's turn—like how a creature that takes the full-round (not 1-round!) action run is only running (and flat-footed) during its turn and ceases to run (and ceases to be flat-footed) at the ends of its turn?