We derive an effective ring model in momentum space for trapped bosons with synthetic spin-orbit coupling. This effective model is characterized by a peculiar form of the interparticle interactions, which is crucially modified by the external confinement. The ring model allows for an intuitive understanding of the phase diagram of trapped condensates with isotropic spin-orbit coupling and, in particular, for the existence of skyrmion lattice phases. The model, which may be generally applied for spinor condensates of arbitrary spin and spin-dependent interactions, is illustrated for the particular cases of spin-1/2 and spin-1 condensates.