Most people around here, Michigan, provide 2 feeds a year. One in early March, another in early September. I myself put down manure and bone meal in early March as soon as I can get to 'work' the soil. I do a good deal of pruning, hybrid teas and long stems, in mid summer, right after they have finished blooming. I lose quite a few stems as they turn brown, possibly from the rigors of blooming?.
I kind of prune for shape too in early fall. I occasionally get these crazy rogue stems that suddenly spring up and take off. I like to keep the whole bush shorter in height. In the cases where I lose a lot of stems, they just go brown, i do a heavy prune. I cur it all back to 9-12" and try to revitalize the bush for next season. If you have roses that have 'escaped due to neglect' I don't think that that is good under any circumstance. Roses can be pretty much pruned drastically and if fertilized will bounce back quickly.