Spruces have branches which can be bent a lot even when quite thck. Only when
they are very old they will crack here and there. Often this does not matter much and the branch will survive. This one cracked a lot here and there. It must be way over 300 years old. Anyway, I have stopped the styling and will let the tree tell me where it wants to live. In a year or two we will continue. I will report.