An assistant often served concurrently as Lesser Counselor, and when there was no vacant post for a person who was transferred from the Bureau of Horses to the Inner Palace Guard, he was temporarily appointed assistant to wait the availability of the post of Middle Captain.
少納言との兼務が多い他、馬頭から近衛府に転じる際に空席がない場合において、暫くの間この職を拝命して中将の空席を待つ事もあった。