Last year I had a huge crop on one of my two small 7 ft Braeburn garden trees. I didn't thin them for some reason, and the result was two broken main branches
... however the apples were still excellent and a perfect eating size, but a big price to pay.
So, this year, I have started thinning this week. I don't want to lose any more branches. I've also got a few props ready to support branches just in case, and have taped one of the old broken ones in hope. It's certainly got good fruit on it and I might have saved that one.
It's looking like a great crop again this year, a huge set, but the dry weather seems to have brought out the aphids in hordes. All the new growth tips are covered in a mealy aphid type, and I'm going to have to prune them off I think. Not quite sure if it will affect next year's crop.