Pollarding

Pollarding is the strong shortening (more than 75% of the length) of the structural branches of a tree, so that only branch stumps remain. 

When pollarding, all grown water shoots & new shoots are pruned away.

These works should be carried out in winter, when all the leaves have fallen from the tree.

This form of pruning should be carried out at in an early stage so that the size of the pruning wounds is limited. Topping trees is never a good idea! See here.