By John HowardTHERE were plenty of cards and even a special cake as Remus, believed to be the oldest living Suffolk Punch in the region, celebrated his 26th birthday.

By John Howard

THERE were plenty of cards and even a special cake as Remus, believed to be the oldest living Suffolk Punch in the region, celebrated his 26th birthday.

Remus, the grand old horse of East Anglia, was the centre of attention at the Museum of East Anglian Life, Stowmarket, yesterday as his birthday celebrations got under way.

Well-wishers arrived during the day with birthday cards and museum staff organised a special party with a cake prepared by its new caterers.

Remus has lived at the museum since the early 1980s, when he was brought in to demonstrate historic ploughing techniques and pull carts laden with visitors around the site.

He became a familiar sight at the museum, where Remus now enjoys a well-deserved retirement.

Tony Butler, museum director, said: “Remus was brought here originally to work using traditional methods on museum land. He would be used to drag ploughs, seed drills and for cart rides round the museum.

“The last few years he has been enjoying a well-earned retirement and loves the attention from local people and children.

“We have had people bringing him cards and at Christmas he got presents of food. He is very fragile there days, but for his birthday we had him especially shoed, had his tale plaited and got him his glad rags for his birthday.”

The Suffolk Punch is the oldest breed of heavy working horse in Britain to exist in its present form and probably dates back to the 13th century.

It has the longest written pedigree of all today's horses and can be traced back in an unbroken line to a stallion called Crisp's Horse, from Ufford, near Woodbridge, who was foaled in 1768.

john.howard@eadt.co.uk