After the late Heian period, by reason that prominent samurai of Kawachi-Genji (Minamoto clan) was successively assigned to Sama no kami and Uma no kami which were substantially the highest post, the post of Meryo was regarded as one of the government posts longed for by samurai (it is said that the full number of Daijo (Senior Secretary) and Shojo (Junior Secretary) was 20 in total as regulated in the Kakushiki code (amendments and enforcement regulations (of the ritsuryo)) at the end of Heian period).
平安時代後期以後は、実質上の最高職である左右馬頭に河内源氏の著名な武者が相次いで任じられた事から馬寮の職は武士の憧れの官職の一つとされた（平安時代末期格式など規定されていた実際の大允・少允の定員は計二十名であったと言う）。