The RSPCA says it will try to prosecute any jockey who whips a racehorse more than 18 times, after the Australian Racing Board refused an appeal from jockeys who disagree with the board's new rules.

Last night jockeys decided to postpone threatened strike action and weekend race meetings will go ahead. But jockeys have promised to strike if the matter is not resolved by Monday night, a move that could jeopardise Victoria's Spring Racing Carnival.

But they are still angry they can only whip a horse 18 times under new rules ordered by the Australian Racing Board last month.

The jockeys claim the reduced number of whip strikes compromises their safety.

Dr Hugh Wirth, president of the RSPCA in Victoria, says stewards will have to police the new rule, counting the number of times a jockey whips his or her horse in every single race.

He says the RSCPA will try to prosecute any jockey who whips their horse more than 18 times.

"Those protesting about the whipping laws now are a minority bunch of redneck jockeys," he said.

"If it comes to the point that the Australian Racing Board attitude does not have supremacy, then it's time, I fervently believe, that the RSPCA takes a test case to the magistrate's court and insists that Section 9 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act is in fact in force against some errant jockey.

"If any person, myself included, went outside right now and whipped our horse or some other horse, we would be prosecuted under the act.

"It's only by tradition that it's been left in the hands of the racing stewards to police the law, and they've done a very poor job."

Races abandoned

In Hawkesbury and Ballarat yesterday afternoon, jockeys interrupted their race meetings with strike action.

In Ballarat five races had to be abandoned.

Shane Brennan, with the Ballarat Turf Club, says it meant a massive loss of revenue to the industry.

"[It's an] inconvenience and financial loss to the owners, trainers who have travelled to Ballarat and prepared their day around a race meeting," he said.

"Now it's been abandoned, so there's a severe financial loss to be incurred by all participants."

With the threat of strike action hanging over the weekend's races, jockeys and their representatives took part in a national phone hook-up last night.

The jockeys decided to suspend strike action until next Monday, when they will deliver an ultimatum to the Australian Racing Board calling for the new rule to be scrapped.

Des O'Keefe from the Australian Jockeys' Association says horse welfare is at the front of the industry's mind all the time.

"It's encouragement for an athletic horse to do its best, not under pain or discomfort," he said.

"It's also been a tool of the trade to correct horses that are running in or running out."

The Australian Racing Board and jockeys agree a padded whip does not hurt a horse, but Dr Hugh Wirth says that is nonsensical.

"If a whip doesn't hurt the horse, why whip it?" he said.

"The need to whip a horse in order to make it perform better has long been disproved, that in fact we should convert from any form of whipping whatsoever to simply hands and heels riding."

Spring carnival in jeopardy

Mr O'Keeffe says further disruptions to events including the Spring Carnival have not been ruled out.

"In the interests of this industry, we need the ARB to come back to us," he said.

"The door is open for them to come back. It was shut yesterday in no uncertain terms by them. We need them to come back so that the racing can continue, not as of the spring carnival, but as of Tuesday."

He says Australian jockeys are aware of their responsibilities to their fellow stakeholders.

"But we also need the Australian Racing Board to be aware of its responsibilities to their stakeholders," he said.

"They're not, at the moment. We need them to take on that responsibility, which they're charged with having."

Racing Victoria says it is confident the matter will be resolved before the Spring Racing Carnival is due to start on September 30.

The new restrictions will be reviewed in February next year.

In the meantime jockeys are not ruling out further strike action.