Until the mid-Kamakura period, the general practice of one-to-one combat between mounted warriors meant that it was often the case that ashigaru were engaged as servants and porters in fields such as logistics and construction.
鎌倉時代中期頃まで、騎馬武者による個人戦を原則としたことから、足軽は従者や運搬などの兵站や土木作業に従事させられることが多かった。